Washington Director

Job Opportunity: Washington Director at PEN America

PEN America, a nonprofit organization at the crossroads of literature and human rights, is seeking a dynamic, visionary, and collaborative Washington Director to lead its Washington office and drive the organization’s advocacy agenda in Washington, D.C.

Responsibilities:

• Lead PEN America’s Washington, D.C. office and drive forward the organization’s D.C.-focused advocacy agenda, in coordination with the rest of PEN America’s Free Expression Programs team and other relevant staff.
• Work with staff across the FEP department to set federal policy advocacy goals and develop advocacy strategies.
• Manage the four-person Washington advocacy team (with a goal of increasing the team’s size as resources allow).
• Cultivate and expand working relationships, coalitions, and partnerships where appropriate with members of Congress and their staff, representatives of the executive branch and relevant agencies, the media, non-profits, think tanks, universities, and other important actors and institutions in Washington, D.C.
• Connect the organization to D.C. policymaking by actively monitoring developments in Washington on key free expression issues, providing analysis of the political and policy landscape, and coordinating consistently to bring PEN America staff experts into those conversations.
• Oversee the development of written products – e.g., policy papers, press releases, op-eds, etc. – relating to a range of free expression issues, as well as Congressional material, including legislation, resolutions, letters, etc.
• Develop, cultivate, and steward relationships with institutional and individual funders.
• Engage and cultivate relationships with media, especially Washington-focused outlets.
• Organize virtual and in-person events to spotlight critical issues.
• Participate as a member of PEN America’s leadership team and play a role in the overall management of the organization.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of approximately 10 years of relevant experience, including in public advocacy, free expression, human rights, democracy, civil liberties, press freedom, international affairs, and/or related areas.
• A deep network in Washington and familiarity with the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. Government.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, dynamic workplace.
• Willingness and ability to engage an ideologically varied set of stakeholders.
• Knowledge of human rights and familiarity with current and pressing issues around free expression in the U.S. and internationally.
• Demonstrated leadership and program-building success, including a track record for effective fundraising and constituency building.
• Demonstrated ability to execute key hires and manage a team and to effectively collaborate and coordinate with colleagues across an organization.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills necessary to build relationships and facilitate remote engagement with supervisor and colleagues.
• Polished and meticulous communication skills; exceptional writing skills, including ability to write quickly and persuasively.
• Commitment to and strong understanding of PEN America’s mission, centered on the celebration and defense of free expression, including the defense of speech reflecting a wide range of political opinions and ideologies, regardless of personal views.

Salary and Benefits:

PEN America offers competitive compensation and full benefits. The salary range for this position is $150k-$180k, commensurate with experience. Candidates whose expectations are outside this range are welcome to apply, as PEN America is open to considering talented individuals at varying stages of their careers. PEN America’s benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision health insurance, paid time off, 10 paid holidays, pre-tax commuter benefits, and a 403b retirement plan.

How to Apply:

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and unedited writing sample to [email protected]. Use “Washington Director” with your name as the subject of your email (for example, “Washington Director – Jane Doe”). Please also share where you heard about this position in the body of your email. Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

PEN America is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices, and in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.

No phone calls, please.

About PEN America:

PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.